I. PURPOSE
The relationship between a student and a faculty member who is grading, evaluating, or assessing that student creates a power dynamic, and one that can be at risk for conflicting interests. As such, the purpose of this policy is to ensure that no faculty member or clinical preceptor who provides medical care or behavioral/psychiatric care to any New York Medical College (“NYMC” or the “College”) School of Medicine (“SOM”) student(s) has any role in the grading, assessment, or promotion of NYMC student(s) to whom they provided care.
II. POLICY
It is the policy of the NYMC SOM that any faculty member who provides medical or psychiatric/behavioral care to a student in the SOM must recuse themself from contributing to that medical student's summative assessment, final grade, and/or promotion decisions in any element of the NYMC curriculum. NYMC medical students’ rights to privacy in receiving medical care and/or behavioral or psychiatric care are to be always preserved.
Additionally, Family Members or a personal healthcare provider (i.e., a provider that has ever provided medical care to a student), cannot be directly involved in the supervision or assessment of a student.
III. SCOPE
This policy applies to all faculty members, residents, or clinical preceptors involved in the assessment and/or grading of students enrolled in the NYMC SOM.
IV. DEFINITIONS
Family Members: individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption, forming a social group that provides emotional support. This includes immediate relations like parents, siblings, and children, as well as extended family such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, in-laws, stepfamily, or even people who live in the same household.
V. PROCEDURES
A. All student summative evaluation forms will include a required field where faculty must attest that, to the best of their knowledge, the faculty member is not currently, nor has the faculty member been a treating physician for medical or psychiatric/behavioral care for the student being evaluated in at least the last five years.
B. In the event a violation or potential violation of this policy should arise, the faculty member and affected medical student are advised to immediately contact the appropriate clerkship/course director and/or Office for Undergraduate Medical Education.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective immediately.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Undergraduate Medical Education
